MARTA revises Atlanta streetcar contract

MARTA’s Board of Directors authorized a revised contract Monday, May, 13, with URS Energy and Construction, Inc. to design and build the Atlanta Streetcar, with the total price now set at $59 million, up from $52.2 million.

MARTA said the revised contract amount covers improvements to the project’s design and scope, and also provides for an additional 7% contingency that could be used to cover unforeseen site conditions along the project route that may arise during construction. The revised contract amount will be paid from existing project contingency funds.

The improvements, which include new streetscapes, bicycle lanes, and related amenities, will make the Streetcar more convenient and accessible to the riding public when it’s completed next year.

Construction on the 2.7-mile transit loop in Downtown Atlanta is well under way, though late last month a visit by Railway Age found most of the work related to utility relocation. The route will offer direct access to MARTA’s Peachtree Center station, a major stop. Other locations to be served include Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia World Congress Center, the new College Football Hall of Fame, the future National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic site.

“We continue to work closely and effectively with our partners at City Hall and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District to ensure that we realize the full potential of this project,” said Frederick L. Daniels Jr., chairman of the MARTA Board. “The Streetcar will help reinvigorate the heart of Atlanta and add vitality to the historic Auburn Avenue corridor. It will also attract new riders to MARTA while maximizing the significant financial investment from our local and national partners.”

The city has ordered four S70 streetcars from Siemens Mobility for the initial service.